Name____________________________ Class __________________ Date __________

Biotic and Abiotic Factors in an EcosystemIn an ecosystem, biotic factors are biological influences onorganisms. Abiotic factors are nonliving (or physical) influenceson organisms.Circle each abiotic factor. Draw an X over each biotic factor.

Use the illustration to answer the questions.1. Are factors related to climate, such as rainfall and temperature,

biotic, or abiotic factors?

2. Which factors make up an organism’s niche? Circle the best answer.

abiotic factors only both biotic and abiotic factors

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Trees

Caribou

GrassFish

Air

Water

Soil

Volcano

Sunlight

Name____________________________ Class __________________ Date __________

The NicheA niche is the range of physical and biological conditions in which an organism lives and the way that the organism uses thoseconditions. The prompts describe the niches of three bird species. Use the prompts tohelp you label the birds in the diagram.

• Bay-Breasted Warbler: feeds in the middle part of a spruce tree

• Cape May Warbler: feeds at the tips of branches near the top of a spruce tree

• Yellow-Rumped Warbler: feeds in the lower part of a sprucetree and at the bases of the middle branches

Use the illustration to answer the question.1. Why can all three species of warbler live in the same spruce tree?

2. Do all three species of warbler share the same niche?

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Spruce Tree

Name____________________________ Class __________________ Date __________

SymbiosisSymbiosis is a close relationship between two species. A symbioticrelationship can help both species, help one species while harmingthe other, or help one species while the other is unaffected.Write how the deer, flower, and whale are affected by the symbioticrelationship shown. Write benefits, harmed, or unaffected.

Use the illustrations to answer the question.1. What, if anything, does the bee get from its relationship with

the flower?

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a tick living on the body of a deer

a bee and a flower

barnacles living on a whale‘s skin

Deer:Flower:

Whale:

Name____________________________ Class __________________ Date __________

Ecological SuccessionThe first panel below shows an area covered with rock and ashfrom a volcanic eruption. When organisms begin to colonize anarea such as this, they appear in a predictable order. This is calledecological succession. The first species to colonize this area arecalled pioneer species.The panels following the first panel show different stages of succession.Number these panels in the order that they occur.

Use the illustrations to answer the questions. Circle the correct answer.

1. Look at the panels you have numbered 2–4. At what stage wouldyou expect to see large mammals moving back to the area?

panel 2 panel 4

2. What type of succession is shown in the illustrations above?

primary succession secondary succession

3. Suppose a fire disturbed the community shown in the panel younumbered 4. What type of succession will likely follow this fire?

primary succession secondary succession

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